Guitar Centre Southsea seeks financial help to fund forced move with rental costs 'through the roof'

SKY-HIGH rental costs have lead to a popular music shop in Portsmouth struggling to find a new home.
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The Guitar Centre Southsea, in Highland Road, Southsea, has to move to a new premises – with the building being redeveloped into flats. Owner Steven Wright, 49, has been searching for a suitable location since April, but it has been ‘a long and drawn out process’.

A potential site in Cosham is lined up, but the deadline to move from their old shop is New Year’s Eve. Mr Wright told The News: ‘Rental costs have gone through the roof compared to what I’m paying here.

Business owner Steve Wright. Guitar Centre Southsea on Highlands Road faces closure. A crowdfunding page has been opened to help the business relocate to Cosham. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-25)Business owner Steve Wright. Guitar Centre Southsea on Highlands Road faces closure. A crowdfunding page has been opened to help the business relocate to Cosham. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-25)
Business owner Steve Wright. Guitar Centre Southsea on Highlands Road faces closure. A crowdfunding page has been opened to help the business relocate to Cosham. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-25)
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‘That is the major thing. There’s not many locations that are suitable.

‘Really, it is about not losing the shop as a resource. The process has involved constant frustration and it’s just been very difficult.’

Loyal customers have been contributing to a crowdfunding campaign in the hope to keep the business going. The money will go towards infrastructure costs relating to the move.

‘We’ve had lots of great support, but there was just nothing available in our price range suitable for the space we need, until the Cosham location came up,’ he added. ‘Before finding that, we were finding that everywhere was super expensive.’

Steve Wright is hopeful to move into the new location and believes his loyal customers would follow him. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-22).Steve Wright is hopeful to move into the new location and believes his loyal customers would follow him. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-22).
Steve Wright is hopeful to move into the new location and believes his loyal customers would follow him. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-22).
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Mr Wright took up playing guitar when he was 15 and has been repairing instruments since 2000. The Isle of Wight native has garnered a reputation which is heralded in the Southsea music scene.

‘My customers want me to carry on and they’ve been really supportive,’ he said. ‘They’ve been very very generous on the fundraiser. Trying to find somewhere has been very difficult.’

Mr Wright added two new units on Fratton Road were asking for £22,000 a year in rent. He said moving costs are a concern and the business has been just about managing in an ‘extremely difficult’ year.

Sky-high rent and other complications have lead to Mr Wright struggling to find a new location. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-19)Sky-high rent and other complications have lead to Mr Wright struggling to find a new location. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-19)
Sky-high rent and other complications have lead to Mr Wright struggling to find a new location. Picture: Chris Moorhouse (jpns 071222-19)

He is confident customers will follow him to Cosham if it goes ahead, and is hoping the business’ future will be secured. ‘We’re calling in favours left, right and centre to get something sorted,’ he added.

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‘All being well, we should be ok. It’s quite a good location, so hopefully, it’ll all work itself out, despite being late in the day.’

The donation website is at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/guitarcentresouthsea